How do I find a really good plumber?

[stirling]

One that's competent, decent and reliable? I'm at the point now where I don't trust Trustatrader... And anytime I've posted on my local Facebook page, often get people who've paid a marketing woman on the board to advertise...the electrician I got from Facebook was awful.

Any suggestions please? I'm a single mum and keep on getting rubbish tradesmen when anything goes wrong!
I'm in Nw London
Thank you

could any of your friends/family recommend someone?

I wish I knew this. I'd actually be happy with just about competent, doesn't need to be really really good. Plumbers in particular seem to be generally unreliable and unable to solve the issue they've been called about IME

Talk to your neighbours.

By personal recommendation from someone you know and trust

Advertisements on websites where traders pay to be listed and can edit or remove unfavourable reviews are not personal recommendations, although some of the reviews might have been written by their friends and family.

Thanks everyone, the few that I know around here are in the same boat apparently.

I live rurally in quite a close-knit community (everyone's connected somehow!), and belong to a few of the local FB groups. I needed a plumber recently and searched plumber in the various groups, and looked for repeated names (and who was recommending them - if it was the same person on every post, then I tended to assume they were related to the plumber, if the recommendation came from someone I know and respect, they went up in my estimations). I found someone who was honest, kept in touch, turned up when he said he would, and has booked me in for a proper slot to do more of the work when it suits in my timeframe.

Having spoken to a few friends since, they've said that he's their go to as well.

Also, if you find a decent tradesman, worth asking them for their recommendations too (my old neighbour is a builder, and he gave us the name of a brilliant electrician), who I am now singing the praises of.

Interestingly, I wouldn't necessarily recommend someone myself on a FB page unless the person asking was a friend, and I felt that they would treat the trades person fairly (lots of people want a job done for 50p, or don't pay when they should, and I don't want to inflict that on a tradesperson I value).

Try watersafe - this organisation has minimum training standards.

Thanks everyone

FanSpamTastic that's a good link

Our local FB page is great. Got good electrician and roofer off it and my lodger is a plumber and a tier !

We found a great plumber using Checkatrade. They say they publish ALL reviews, good and bad.